Nashoba Valley Community Healthcare Fund Awards 20K Grant to Virginia Thurston Healing Garden Cancer Support Center

Harvard, MA – The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden Cancer Support Center in Harvard received a recent $20,000 grant from the Nashoba Valley Healthcare Community Fund for their Clinical Cancer Support Programs and Services.

“The Healing Garden is extraordinarily grateful for the generous support from the Greater Lowell Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts.  Knowing the financial impact that a chronic illness makes, the Healing Garden strives to provide programs and services for low to no cost to patients,” said Margaret Koch, Executive Director, Virginia Thurston Healing Garden. “Receiving a $20,000 grant from the Nashoba Valley Health Care Fund to help underwrite our costs, ensures that residents living in the Nashoba Valley towns can get access to rigorous evidence-based best practices in complementary cancer care which supports and enhances conventional medical treatment of the disease. These programs and service aim to improve quality of life by building coping skills, increasing physical and mental resiliency and providing compassionate patient centered support.”

In March, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) and the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts (CFNCM) announced that they had awarded $176,881 in grants to a total of 18 local nonprofits, from the Nashoba Valley Community Healthcare Fund, to help improve the health of residents in area communities.

Priority was given to proposals pertaining to prevention of health problems, access to healthcare, elder health, youth and adolescent health, mental health and health care service provision. Recipients of the grants were selected by the Nashoba Valley Community Healthcare Fund Advisory Committee, comprised of local leaders in business, health care and education.

“These are impactful grants for our community and we greatly appreciate the hard work and diligence of the volunteer grant committee in prioritizing the needs,” said Jay Linnehan, President and CEO of the Greater Lowell Community Foundation.

“With each year that we continue to support impactful grants through this fund, the communities served are made stronger, healthier and more vibrant.  The vision for the creation of this fund is being realized through targeted, outcome driven grants.” said Phil Grzewinski, president of the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts.

2018 Grant Recipients

• Townsend Fire-EMS Department for Advanced Life Support Training Manikin – $14,993
• Lunenburg Council on Aging for Eagle House Memory Café – $5,000
• Community Teamwork in Lowell for Bone Builders Program – $10,000
• Gaining Ground in Concord for Growing Fresh Produce for Hunger Relief with Community Volunteers – $5,000
• Ashby Fire Dept. for Rad-57 with SPCO adult and pediatric monitor – $5,595
• MAB Community Services, Inc. in Brookline for Nashoba Valley Vision Rehabilitation Program for Elders – $6,000
• Montachusett Home Care Corporation in Leominster for Expanding the Medical Escort/Companion Program – $5,000
• Our Father’s House in Fitchburg for Ensuring Health Wellness in Homeless Children – $16,000
• Advocates, Inc. in Framingham for Advocates Community Counseling in Harvard – $10,000
• Eliot Community Human Services in Lexington for The NAN Project – $15,000
• Clear Path for Veterans New England in Devens for Veteran Wellness and Self-Care Training Program – $15,000
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell, Inc. for Critical Home Repairs for Westford Elders – $10,000
• 15-40 Connection in Westborough for 3 Steps Detect 2019 – Improving cancer survival rates in Nashoba Valley – $15,000
• Virginia Thurston Healing Garden in Harvard for Clinical Cancer Support Programs and Services for NV Residents – $20,000
• Boys & Girls Club of Lunenburg for Triple Play: Healthy Minds, Bodies, and Souls – $7,500
• Montachusett Interfaith Hospitality Network, Inc. in Leominster for MIHN family shelter – $8,000
• Seven Hills Family Services in Groton for WhisperGlide Swing for People with Disabilities – $6,663
• Pepperell Council on Aging for Cycles for Seniors – $2,130

The Nashoba Valley Community Healthcare Fund provides annual distributions to nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and other agencies to advance the health of residents in
13 communities: Ashby, Ayer, Bolton, Dunstable, Groton, Harvard, Lancaster, Littleton, Lunenburg, Pepperell, Shirley, Townsend and Westford.

For more information on the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, please visit www.glcfoundation.org.

 

 

Caption:

The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden in Harvard received a recent $20,000 grant from the Nashoba Valley Healthcare Fund for Clinical Cancer Support Programs and Services. From l to r: GLCF President and CEO Jay Linnehan, Christine Zinke, Co-Director of Integrative Care, Healing Garden, Margaret Koch, Executive Director, Healing Garden, CFNCM VP of Development and Donor Relations Linda Mack and Brianne Carter, Co-Director of Integrative Care, Healing Garden